battery

a ‘bypass’ to skip the battery

by

At a time when mobile phones They are no longer funIt is appreciated that there are brands like Redmi or RedMagic that dare to do things, at least a little different. Although I love video games, play on mobile It is not something that I am passionate about and a gaming mobile phone is not something that I would consider when buying a new device. However, Xiaomi has just presented the RedMagic K90 Ultra that not only aims to be a beast, but has two things that can make the difference: a fan and a delivery of meaning that is noticeable The engineers have given it a couple of turns. And, although the fan is not new at all, since we have been seeing phones with active dissipation for more than five years, taking into account chow are the temperatures coming (and what we have left), perhaps it is time for the ‘traditional’ mobile market to take good note of what the more ‘gaming’ manufacturers are doing. Redmi K90 Ultra, a beast with a head Our colleagues from Xiaomi World They have already talked at length about the company’s new mobile. The Redmi K90 Ultra is a beast and a gaming mobile that doesn’t look like a gaming mobile. There is no trace of disruptive designs, nor of LED lights. We are talking about a mobile phone with a 6.83-inch screen with a peak of 3,500 nits, a 165 Hz refresh rate and a PWM 3,500 Hz. Completing the multimedia there is a pair of symmetrical Bose speakers (so one will not sound louder than the other), to move everything it has the Snapdragon 8 Ultra, Xiaomi’s own D2 graphics chip and a huge 8,550 mAh battery. They are impressive specifications, it is clear, but all of this that evidently It is made for maximum performance It is packaged in a mobile that is an iPhone 17 Pro, but without the apple. It does not have a design with anything characteristic, but if we look at the camera module, we see one of the keys to the terminal: the slot for the fan. Xiaomi has not innovated at all in this sense because we already said that there were other mobile phones with a fan before this one, but it is still interesting because the K90 Ultra not only maintains protection against dust, but also against water. Has IP68 certificationwhich is a very positive point for this model and the Chinese company’s technology. If we get into the specifications of the fan, we are talking about a piece with 18.1 mm in diameter that works with an independent and sealed air duct that manages the intake and expulsion of the air flow. It creates, in essence, a vortex that allows 0.42 CMF of air to move, according to the company, through the interior of the chassis. Beyond the specifications, what this means is that it can lower the internal temperature by up to 10ºC in 100 seconds when fully activated. In that more aggressive mode, it generates about 32 dB, which on a day-to-day basis is camouflaged with ambient noise (another thing is if you use it at night in bed to play), but what is really interesting is why. On the one hand, the obvious: when we play, the processor heats up and, when it reaches a certain temperature, it goes into protection mode. This is known as ‘thermal throttling‘ or “thermal throttling”, where the processor automatically lowers performance so that the temperature does not continue to rise. In summer this is also more impactful due to the outside temperature. But, in addition, this vortex takes the internal heat that is produced when the battery is charged, so it also relieves internal temperatures during the charging process. Here comes the other thing that is interesting and not so obvious, and where it really shows that Xiaomi has given a twist to the matter. It is perfectly viable to use a mobile phone while charging it, but in summer or using fast charging, the most normal thing is that we notice a notable increase in temperatures. This is why it is not a good idea to play or use heavy apps while charging it because the battery is in the process of constant charging and discharging which does not help keep those temperatures at bay, overwhelming the battery and damaging its potential useful life. The Redmi K90 Ultra has 100 W charging and what they have devised is a system by which, when we are using it while charging it, the load is distributed. Instead of just filling the battery and having the battery power the board, what it does is collect all the charging power in a chip that is responsible for distributing part of it to the battery and part to the board (processor, etc.). It’s like on a laptop when we do something while charging it: the power goes directly to the components so as not to stress the battery. More than the fan, that seems to me to be the great idea of ​​this Redmi K90 Ultra that we will have to see if it ends up arriving in our country, since that design that breaks with ‘gaming’, added to the general features, makes it a very interesting option for certain types of users. There are many fans, AquaCore not so many But hey, as I said, Xiaomi has not invented anything regarding the fan and Nubia, in 2019, was the first to incorporate a turbofan. He did it in RedMagic 3 of 2019, a mobile phone that did have a very aggressive aesthetic, but that already had a fan capable of rotating at 14,000 rpm while maintaining IP55 certification. With the passing of generationsthat fan was spinning faster and faster, but since I tested them back in the day, I can say that they made a lot of noise when they were spinning at full speed. With the RedMagic 9 The change of the … Read more

My phone is almost five years old and the battery maintains its useful life at 85%. This is how I got it

by

My smartphone, a iPhone 13 Pro Maxis almost five years old and its battery retains 85% of its original capacity. It is not coincidence or good luck. It is the result of understanding what happens to a battery of lithium ions every time we charge it and consciously apply a handful of habits that slow down its degradation. Most users assume that a mobile phone’s battery is condemned to degrade without remedy in two or three years. And to a certain extent it is true: every lithium-ion battery loses capacity over time. But the speed at which it does so depends largely on how we treat hernot just its internal chemistry. In this context, we are interested in understanding two specific physical phenomena, voltage stress and thermal degradation, because they are the ones that wear out battery cells the most. And we also need to know the guidelines I have followed for almost five years to minimize them. They are not magic tricks. They are direct consequences of the electrochemistry that occurs inside the battery. What happens to a battery every time we charge it A lithium-ion battery works by moving ions between the cathode and anode through an electrolyte. When we charge the phone up to 100% we force the cathode to reach its maximum voltage potential. This high voltage state oxidizes the electrolyte in contact with the cathode and favors the dissolution of transition metals from its crystalline structure. This phenomenon is known as voltage stress, and it is cumulative: the longer the battery spends in that state of maximum voltage, the faster it degrades. An increase of 10 degrees Celsius doubles the speed of certain degradation reactions in the electrolyte A quick note before moving forward: that layer that forms on the cathode is called CEI (cathode solid electrolyte interface or cathode electrolyte interphase), and is the first cousin of the SEI (solid electrolyte interface or solid electrolyte interface) that grows on the graphite anode. At sustained high voltages, the IEC thickens uncontrollably, irreversibly consumes active lithium and reduces the usable capacity of the cell with each cycle. For this reason, it is worth using the 80% loading automation offered by both iOS and Android. In fact, I don’t charge my phone at 100% unless I know I’m going to need full battery life that day. Keeping the battery in an intermediate voltage range (between 20% and 80%) dramatically reduces the time the cells spend at the extremes of voltage where molecular wear is most aggressive. The second big enemy is heat, and this is where thermal degradation comes into play. Parasitic chemical reactions do not depend on voltage alone; They also accelerate with temperature, and do so in a non-linear manner. As a guideline, an increase of about 10 degrees Celsius can reach double the speed of certain degradation reactions in the electrolyte, a behavior consistent with the Arrhenius equation that governs the kinetics of any chemical reaction. This is why I avoid ultra-fast chargers in summer, especially if my phone is exposed to the sun or inside a thick case. Charging at 45, 65 or more watts generates considerable internal heat, and if that heat is not dissipated well (and in environments at 35 or 40 degrees Celsius it is not dissipated well), the cell temperature can approach 40-45 degrees Celsius, a range beyond which electrolyte degradation and cathode dissolution accelerate noticeably. I definitely prefer slower charges at 15 or 20 watts, even if they take longer: the battery appreciates it in the long run. Images | Xataka In Xataka | How to know the health status of your Android battery and how it can lose capacity In Xataka | Europe changes the standards for mobile batteries in 2027. The striking thing is that no manufacturer has complained

the AirTag rival with up to 600 days of battery life and compatible with any Android

by

The ecosystem of lost item trackers has a new member. If until recently Apple with its AirTag and Samsung with its SmartTag dominated the market with their own users, the rules of the game have changed thanks to the new network Google “Find my device”. Taking advantage of this giant deployment, Motorola has now made official the launch in Spain of the new Moto Tag 2 from Motorola (which was presented a few months ago), its new and promising smart locator that you can buy for 37.99 euros. Motorola Moto Tag 2 Locator The price could vary. We earn commission from these links The perfect companion for your keys, suitcases or backpack At the design level, the new Moto Tag 2 no different from the previous generation. Motorola bets on a spherical, minimalist and extremely compact aestheticdesigned to fit perfectly on conventional keychains or to hide without problems at the bottom of a suitcase. It has IP67 certificationwhich gives you complete dust resistance and the ability to withstand immersion accidental drops in water, something vital if you plan to wear it attached to your pet’s collar or on the outside of a backpack. Being natively integrated into Google’s global network, works with any Android smartphone of the market, breaking the compatibility walls of other brands. Furthermore, it is equipped with ultra-wideband (UWB) technologyso that you can use the millimeter precision that stands out so much in the Apple AirTag. It works with a CR2032 button battery standard that guarantees up to 600 days of life, a battery that you can also easily replace yourself when it runs out. Lastly, it is possible to highlight its integrated multifunction button which not only serves to receive alerts, but also works to find your phone or as a remote trigger for your phone’s camera. ⚡ IN SUMMARY: motorola moto tag 2 locator ✅ THE BEST Full opening: It doesn’t tie you to a specific brand of phone; If today you have a Pixel, tomorrow a Xiaomi or a Motorola, your locator will continue to work exactly the same. Selfie and alert button: Using the Tag itself as a remote control to capture photos from a distance gives it an extra utility that its rivals do not have. ❌ THE WORST Android exclusive… By completely depending on the Google ecosystem, iOS (iPhone) users will not be able to take advantage of it. Taking advantage of UWB… The high-precision guidance compass will only be activated if your Android phone has an ultra-wideband chip, something that is usually reserved for high-end devices. 💡 BUY IT IF… You are an Android user and you are looking for a reliable, durable tracker with the largest coverage network in the world to secure your suitcases on vacation. ⛔ DON’T BUY IT IF… You primarily use Apple devices, where AirTag continues to offer a more organic integration with iOS. Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary. Images | Motorola In Xataka | It looks like a card, but it’s a tracker for iOS and Android so thin it can fit in your wallet or passport In Xataka | The best Airtag for Android. Which one to buy? Tips and recommendations

Nintendo confirms when the new Switch 2 revision will arrive in Europe. And also that it will have less battery and more weight

by

nintendo has confirmed that, starting this fall, a new revision of the Switch 2 will arrive in Europe. The idea is that, to comply with European regulations, the user can more easily replace the console’s battery. Although this change We already knew him for a few monthsNintendo has now offered more details about the release window of this new revision and how it affects the rest of the devices. Why is this happening now? The European Union approved in 2023 battery legislation that requires consumer products with integrated batteries to allow them to be easily removed and changed starting in February 2027. Nintendo, like any manufacturer selling hardware in the region, has to adapt before that date, and that is why it has already begun to make moves. In detail. According to has explained Nintendo itself through its official technical support, starting this summer several of its products in Europe will begin to be replaced “in a phased manner” by versions with replaceable batteries. The company assures that there will be “no difference in operation” between the current and revised models, although we will surely have to wait for this new revision to end up reaching stores to confirm that statement. The calendar you have shared is the following: Joy-Con controllers (some colors): since this summer, without changes in weight or battery capacity. Nintendo Switch 2 console: since autumn, weighing about 411 grams (10 grams more than the current model) and up to 548 grams with the Joy-Con 2 attached (14 grams more). Its battery goes from 5,220 mAh to 5,172 mAh, around 1% less capacity. Joy-Con 2 (separately): since this winter, with 2 grams more weight for each controller, without changes to the battery. Switch 2 Pro Controller: from this winter, with a 16% smaller battery (897 mAh compared to the current 1,070 mAh), although the controller will weigh 7 grams less. N64 and GameCube controllers for Switch 2: in early 2027, with slight changes in weight and, in the case of the GameCube controller, a slightly larger battery. Between the lines. Not all Nintendo products will go through this process. As they collect from VGC, the original Switch, the Switch Litethe OLED switchthe classic Switch Pro controller and other retro accessories such as NES, SNES or Mega Drive controllers. In addition, the user will not be able to choose which version they buy, so when the stock of the current model runs out, stores will begin to offer the revision with a replaceable battery. On the other hand, Nintendo has also announced that it will put battery replacement kits on sale for each product, although it has not yet given a date or price. Goodbye to the original Switch in Europe. As the company tells us, Nintendo has decided not to launch a new version of the original Switch in Europe. And instead of adapting it to the regulations, it will directly remove this console from sale in the region when appropriate. That doesn’t mean it’s now, but maybe in Europe we can already prepare for the end of Nintendo’s transition to Switch 2. And now what. Availability will not be the same in all European countries at the same time, according to recognize Nintendo. Furthermore, as could not be expected otherwise, Spain is among the markets where these reviews will arrive, as confirmed by the company. From here, what remains to be seen is whether these slight changes in weight and autonomy generate any real difference in the daily use of the console. In Xataka | In 1993, no one could find the supposed red ninja from ‘Mortal Kombat’. There was a reason: it didn’t exist yet

This is Gotion’s plan to turn Valladolid into the battery hub in Europe

by

The Ministry of Industry and Tourism gave the green light a few days ago to the million-dollar aid that will allow the Chinese company Gotion High-Tech to build its first battery “gigafactory” outside of Asia in Valladolid. The resolution of the State Society for Industrial Promotion and Business Development (Sepides) confirmed a subsidy of 138 million euros for a project that mobilizes nearly 950 million and that aspires to turn the city into a reference center for the electric vehicle industry. What has happened? The aid is part of the fifth PERTE of the Electric and Connected Vehicle (PERTE VEC V) and gives definitive shape to a preliminary concession that was advanced last May. The idea is that the money will be distributed between two different plants: one dedicated to the recycling of batteries and recovery of critical materials (known as “black mass”), which will receive 82.3 million euros, and another destined to the manufacture of cathodes, which will receive 55.9 million. So confirmed it the Minister of Industry himself, Jordi Hereu. Components. The cathode is one of the parts that adds the most value to batteries. Around 60%, according to has explained the Ministry of Transport itself, and until now no factory in the European Union produced it. Setting up this plant in Valladolid means that Europe can stop depending exclusively on Asia for one of the most expensive and strategic components of the electric car (stop depending, halfway, since Gotion is still a Chinese manufacturer). It was not about “making batteries, which are already done in many places”, but about “opening a new path”, counted the Minister of Transportation, Óscar Puente, during the presentation of the project. How much money is at stake. The Ministry, through Sepides, estimates the budgets of the two plants at 411.5 and 539.1 million euros. The 138 million in public aid represent around 15% of the total investment in this first phase. Who is behind the project. Gotion High-Tech is a Chinese giant that covers the entire battery industrial chain, from the extraction and transformation of raw materials to final recycling, and that already maintains commercial relations with Volkswagen and its own factories in Germany and Slovakia. The facility in Valladolid will receive raw materials from Morocco and, according to has explained The company will also serve as a platform to export to Latin America. The project comes after the Slovak company Inobat, which at the time also obtained public aid to settle in Valladolid, gave up its plan without presenting the necessary guarantees. Employment. According to the data provided by Gotion itself, the construction of the two plants will provide work about 2,500 peoplewhile the operation of the factories, once up and running, will employ around 1,000 workers directly. Works. The project plans to begin building the first phase, the recycling plant, throughout 2027. The facilities will occupy some 700,000 hectares of industrial land, although Gotion’s own project is conditional on the construction of a macro solar plant that guarantees the energy self-sufficiency of the factories, which will require up to a thousand additional hectares of land. To build the factory they will also be required to modify the General Urban Planning Plan of Valladolid, a procedure that, according to picks up El Economistais expected to receive provisional approval on July 27, although the final decision corresponds to the Junta de Castilla y León. Administrations. The Valladolid City Council, governed by PP and Vox, has already signed a letter of intent to transfer the land that the company needs, with an initial surface of 70 hectares that can be expanded to 120 if the project grows, as shared by El Confidencial. The current mayor, Jesús Julio Carnero, assured maintain “permanent contact” with Chinese managers and has committed to facilitating the corresponding procedures. Impulse. Óscar Puente, mayor of Valladolid between 2015 and 2023 and today Minister of Transport, has been the one who has pushed this operation the most since he traveled to Slovakia in 2023 to negotiate with Inobat the first attempt to install a battery factory in the city. Puente has claimed on several occasions the strategic position of Valladolid, with its own airport, high-speed connection one hour from Madrid, proximity to Portugal and a consolidated industrial hub next to Palencia and Burgos. The minister has qualified the operation as the largest industrial investment in the city since the arrival of the Renault factory in 1953. And now what. Industry’s resolution clears up one of the main administrative obstacles, but there are still pending steps, including the presentation of guarantees, the definitive urban planning approval by the Government of Castilla y León and the start of works in 2027. In addition, Gotion proposes this first phase as the start of a much more ambitious plan, which could reach 5,000 million euros of total investment and adding up to eight plants in Valladolid, according to the company itself. Cover image | Ministry of Transport and DAZE In Xataka | From selling safes to manufacturing armored vehicles for NATO: this is how this company operates in a small town in Ciudad Real

Europe’s secret weapon to win the electric battery war is not in the mines: it is in the garbage

by

The race for European energy sovereignty is being fought far from the large open pit mines. The new battlefield is located in a much more unexpected place: the garbage heap. The companies Vianode and Cylib they have forged an alliance to convert old batteries from scrapyards into high-performance components for new vehicles, the continent’s latest attempt to achieve supply chain independence. However, this scientific advance collides head-on with a real political earthquake. As anticipated at the time Reutersthe European Commission is evaluating whether to reverse or delay its star measure for five or more years: the ban on selling combustion cars from 2035. While technology shows that stopping dependence on foreign powers is possible, economic fear makes Brussels hesitate. The “unsung hero” at the bottom of the landfill. To understand the magnitude of the project, you have to look at a specific material. How do you define it? Aqua Metals, This is the “unsung hero” of lithium-ion batteries: graphite. This material is essential to create the anode (the negative pole of the battery) that allows energy to be stored and released efficiently. Although it is light compared to metals such as cobalt, graphite represents between 10% and 20% of the total weight of a cell. The underlying problem is geopolitical. Global demand for this mineral has skyrocketed, but Europe depends almost entirely on imports of virgin material controlled by external markets. The situation became critical when China, the world’s largest producer, announced severe restrictions for export. The answer to this vulnerability lies in what the industry knows as “black mass,” the dark dust that results from crushing discarded batteries. In this mixture, graphite can account for up to 50% of the content. Recycling has ceased to be a simple green initiative and has become a matter of industrial survival. Urban water-based mining. How exactly is that scrap metal transformed into cutting-edge components? The German company Cylib has developed its own technology based on water, named OLiC. This system is capable of recovering 90% of critical metals (lithium, graphite, nickel, cobalt and manganese) from spent batteries, reducing carbon emissions by 80% compared to traditional mining extraction. This development is not an improvised promise. By mid-2025, Cylib has already marked a milestone together with the Syensqo firm by producing high purity lithium hydroxide directly from this black mass using a proprietary selective solvent (CYANEX 936P). This achievement allowed different battery chemistries to be processed in a single operational line, preparing to more than comply with EU regulation, which will require recovering 80% of lithium by 2031. With the new alliance signed, the graphite recovered by Cylib will be delivered to the Norwegian firm Vianode, which will integrate it into the formulation of its advanced synthetic anodes. Its goal for 2030 is radical: emitting just 1.0 kg of CO2 for every kilo of graphite produced. As Dr. Lilian Schwich, co-founder of Cylib, summarized: “Circular does not mean making concessions. It means a competitive advantage for Europe.” The fracture of the industry in the mirror of 2035. Although recyclers demonstrate that material autonomy is technically viable, pressure from traditional manufacturers has fractured the automotive sector. Giants like Volkswagen or Stellantis They argue that the current goals They are not viable because consumers are reluctant to pay the extra cost of the electric vehicle and the charging infrastructure remains poor. Ford CEO Jim Farley himself publicly admitted that EU demands “are not a sustainable reality in Europe today,” pushing to save combustion engines through the use of synthetic biofuels. But this position is not unanimous. Purely electrical firms see this possible political delay as a strategic error that will give the market to China. Michael Lohscheller, CEO of the electric brand Polestar, was blunt in the face of regulatory uncertainty: “The technology is ready, the charging infrastructure is ready and consumers are ready. So what are we waiting for?” The great European paradox. Europe holds the key to its energy future in its own scrapyards. This year’s pilot plants and commercial agreements demonstrate that the circular ecosystem is a mature reality. The great paradox that remains in the air is evident: What will be the point of building the most advanced battery recycling technology on the planet if, out of fear of competition from foreign markets, Brussels decides to artificially extend the life of the exhaust pipe? European automotive independence may have been born in the trash, but it risks dying in the offices. Image | Pexels Xataka | Keeping combustion engines alive in 2035 leaves us with clear winners. Some called BMW, Porsche and Ferrari

CATL wants a battery as powerful as gasoline. And he will trust his plan: lithium-air

by

CATL has prepared a very interesting roadmap for us over the next few years. With an energy transition increasingly accentuated in the automotive industry, there are several battery technologies that will fight for permanence in the next decade. Wu Kai, chief scientist of CATL and academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, advertisement At the Equipment and Energy Forum 2026, the company has identified lithium-air technology as the strategic front where the next great global battery battle will be fought. It is the first time that CATL makes this bet officially public. Why this ad matters. CATL controls 47% of the global electric vehicle battery market, according to April 2026 datawhich means we are talking about the world’s largest battery manufacturer by market share. The company has also accumulated five consecutive years as a leader in global energy storage, with a share of 30.4% in 2025. So, when its chief scientist points out a technology as the battlefield of the future, the industry listens. What exactly is a lithium-air battery. Unlike conventional lithium ion batteries, which use heavy metal compounds (nickel, cobalt, manganese) to house lithium ions, lithium-air batteries dispense with that solid cathode and replace these materials with oxygen taken directly from ambient air. The anode is pure metallic lithium. The result is a lighter system with an open architecture, which has led researchers to call them “breathable batteries”. Without so much dead weight inside the cell, the potential energy density skyrockets. The numbers. The theoretical energy density of this technology reaches 12,000 Wh/kg, a figure comparable to that of gasoline, which is around 13,000 Wh/kg. The lithium ion batteries that equip electric cars today offer between 250 and 270 Wh/kg. Solid-state batteries, considered the next big leap, aim for about 500 Wh/kg. The lithium-air prototypes already developed in the laboratory have exceeded 1,200 Wh/kg, more than four times the capacity of current batteries. If this technology were commercialized, we would be talking about electric cars with ranges of more than 1,600 kilometers on a single charge. A problem that comes from the 70s. The lithium-air battery concept is not new. And just as share CarNewsChina, its theoretical foundations were laid out in the 1970s. The problem is that taking it from theory to practice has proven extraordinarily difficult. The cells are very sensitive to humidity and carbon dioxide present in the air, which causes rapid degradation. Added to this are problems with catalyst stability and a very short useful life. But there is real progress. In 2024, a joint team from the University of Illinois Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory and California State University Northridge managed to demonstrate a lithium-air battery capable of exceeding 700 charge cycles in an environment similar to real air. A year later, in 2025, Argonne National Laboratory and the Illinois Institute of Technology developed a prototype that reached 1,200 Wh/kg with a life of 1,000 cycles at room temperature. According to collect CarNewsChina, this design is not expected to be ready for use in vehicles before 2030. The key to the breakthrough was, among other things, replacing liquid electrolytes (which are flammable) with a solid matrix composed of a ceramic polymer with lithium-rich nanoparticles, which stabilizes the cell during high-energy cycles. How does this fit into CATL’s strategy. The company already has experience in converting alternative technologies into market products. An example is sodium-ion batteries, which were proposed by the company in 2020 and This same year they are already being mass producedinstalled in models such as the GAC Aion UT, the Changan Oshan 520 and vehicles from Geely, Chery and FAW. According to explained Kai in the forum, the company’s strategy is planned in the short term to offer mature technologies to meet current demand; in the medium term, solid state batteries to improve the experience in premium vehicles; and in the long term, lithium-air with the intention of exploring the physical limits of energy storage. Between the lines. Betting on lithium-air now is not waiting for a product for next year. Just like points out Gasgoo, for large companies, investing in these frontier technologies serves above all to accumulate patents, secure strategic positions and build technical reserves, not to generate short-term income. It is something like a move to avoid surprises in case another company decides to announce a disruptive technology. Cover image | CATL In Xataka | Peugeot, on PureTech engines: “We recognize that we have done things wrong”

Switch 2 will have replaceable battery in 2027

by

nintendo has confirmed on its consumer information website that prepares a revised version of the Switch 2 for the European market, one in which the battery can be easily replaced. It is not really a traditional revision as we might expect, but a new version born as a result of complying with European regulations that will come into force in 2027. What is this about? The key is in the Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 on batteries, which as of February 18, 2027 requires that cells and batteries integrated in certain devices sold in the EU can be removed and replaced by the user himself easily and at any time during the product’s useful life. Portable consoles fall into that category, so the Switch 2 is fully affected. What Nintendo says. In the official publication On its website, the company assures that it is “implementing measures to comply with these requirements by preparing versions of products that comply with the Regulation.” To differentiate those models from the current ones, Nintendo says the new ones will carry different model numbers and the additional “OSM” code visible on the packaging, identifying them as “standalone products for regulatory purposes.” How affected models are recognized. Nintendo doesn’t mention the Switch 2 by name, instead talking about “current products whose model numbers start with ‘BEE’.” That is precisely the case of Switch 2, whose model number is BEE-001, as collects VGC. The Joy-Con 2 (BEE-012 and BEE-014) and the Switch 2 Pro controller (BEE-008) also have integrated batteries and share that same prefix, so they could also receive a review if the regulations apply to them. At the moment, Nintendo has not confirmed it. Details yet to be confirmed. Nintendo does not explain what will change at the design level to facilitate replacement. And it will require a major change, because nowadays replacing the Switch 2 battery is no small feat. According to the repair guide from iFixit, the battery is not accessible even after removing the back cover, and requires disassembling a large part of the device and then reassembling it. The one with the Joy-Con 2 is somewhat simpler, but it’s not easy either. Only for the EU, for now. Nintendo has not yet committed to selling these models outside of Europe, nor is it under any obligation to do so. However, as they point From Tom’s Guide, making a completely different version of hardware for a single region ends up making little economic sense. And the usual thing is that regional variants are limited to specific components, not to redesigns as important as this one. That’s why it wouldn’t be strange if, over time, the “OSM” models also end up reaching other markets, although for now it’s just a guess. When. The only certainty is that Nintendo will have these adapted consoles in European stores before February 18, 2027. What is not clear is the exact schedule or whether the original version will coexist with the new one or will end up disappearing. Nor should we lose sight of the fact that these models will arrive, presumably, after the price increase planned for Septemberwhich places the console at 500 euros here in Europe. We will have to wait to find out more information about it. In Xataka | A CD Projekt developer: “Do you know what we’re doing for ‘The Witcher 4’? People aren’t ready”

everything for a giant battery

by

The energy transition has accustomed us to focusing on what is most visible: solar panels on roofs, wind turbines on mountains, renewable parks spread across the territory. But a decisive part of the electric future is not only in producing more, but in better managing what we already produce. It is not enough to generate more clean energy if we are not able to store it when there is excess and return it when it is needed. That is the logic behind the project being built in Laufenburg, Switzerland: an underground battery designed to store electricity on a large scale and help stabilize the grid. The project. FlexBase, the Swiss group behind the project, is building that facility in Laufenburgin the canton of Aargau, next to the German border and on a site that plans to connect to the national high-voltage grid. The group is digging a 27-metre-deep pit, longer than two football fields, to house the storage system underground. The battery will be part of the future Laufenburg Technology Centera 20,000 square meter complex with computing infrastructure, offices and laboratories. A grid-scale battery. The Laufenburg project has been defined with a planned capacity of 1.5 GWh of storage after the choice of Invinity Energy Systems as technology partner. The comparison helps ground the figure: this would be equivalent to storing enough electricity to supply about 200,000 average homes in the United Kingdom for one day. In subsequent phases, the installation could grow to 2.1 GWh, if FlexBase moves forward with this expansion. How this technology works. The easiest way to understand a redox flow battery is to forget about a mobile phone battery for a moment. In a lithium-ion battery, the energy is stored within a fairly compact structure. In a redox flow battery, however, the energy is in liquid electrolytes stored in large tanks. When the system has to deliver electricity, these liquids are pumped into stacks of cells, where the reaction occurs that converts that chemical energy into electricity useful for the grid. The tanks are, to put it graphically, the place where the energy is stored. The cells are the part that allows it to be removed and used. The Swiss system will be recharged with renewable surpluses, mainly solar and wind. But no one talks about AI? Maybe you were missing a word that lately appears in almost any technological conversation: artificial intelligence. And yes, it’s here too. Not because the battery will “work with AI” but because the Laufenburg complex will include an artificial intelligence-oriented data center that will operate within the Laufenburg Technology Centre. The storage system is designed to smooth out the variable electrical demand associated with this computing and, at the same time, offer stabilization services to the network. Partner enters the scene. FlexBase will not develop the technological part of the battery alone. As we say, the Swiss company has selected Invinity Energy Systems as a strategic partner to design and deliver the Laufenburg vanadium flow system. According to FlexBase, the British-Canadian company won the selection process for its entire technical proposal. The main argument is a combination of lifetime costs, safety, non-flammability, cycle stability and modularity. Now the project enters the engineering phase, where the teams will have to adjust the control software and the electrical connection with the existing network. The next step. Swissgrid wants to connect the national high-voltage grid to the Laufenburg site, in what would be the first connection of its kind in Switzerland. For the operator, large batteries can become a relevant piece of the future of the network because they allow electricity to be moved over time: absorbing it when it is abundant and delivering it when it is needed. It is not a battery for everything. The very logic of a redox flow battery helps to understand its limits: if you need large tanks to store energy, it will hardly be the best option when space and weight rule. Its lower energy density makes it less suitable for applications such as electric vehicles. It should also be noted that vanadium flow batteries remain at an earlier commercial stage and are usually more expensive than lithium-ion ones. Its promise is not to replace all batteries, but to fill a very specific niche: stationary, durable and long-lasting storage. The calendar, for now, looks to 2029. FlexBase plans to launch the facility that year and expects to generate around 300 jobs linked to the future Laufenburg Technology Centre. The company presents the project as a privately financed initiative, with an estimated investment between 1,000 and 5,000 million Swiss francs (between 1,090 and 5,450 million euros). If the deadlines are met, Laufenburg will not only house a huge underground battery: it will also become one of Europe’s most ambitious bets to store electricity where the grid begins to need it. Images | FlexBase In Xataka | We will run out of space on dry land one day. So Spain is already putting solar panels into the sea

To move the cutting head of the ‘Monica’ tunnel boring machine, a 152-wheel truck was needed. It’s the key to Australia’s ‘water battery’

by

Transporting a gigantic tunnel boring machine to the work point is no small feat, and Madrid has a few things to say about this. However, in Cooma, a small town in the Australian state of New South Wales, they seem to have gotten the hang of it. And the colossal piece of steel crossed its streets at a snail’s pace on a 152 wheel truck. The cargo was part of Snowy 2.0one of the largest energy storage projects in the world. What is it about?. The piece was the central block of the cutting head of the tunnel boring machine named Monica. According to Snowy Hydro, the public company behind the project, this component weighs more than 137 tons and measures seven meters wide. The head is the part that really matters in a tunnel boring machine, since it is the rotating disc that faces the rock and crushes it as it moves. Media deployment. Monica’s head is too big to transport in one piece, so it had to be divided into five parts. Still, just moving the center block required months of preparation. The entire transport reached 73 meters in length, and was moved at night facing the last stretch along the Snowy Mountains Highway, heading to the Marica site, north of Kiandra, where the machine would be assembled. A colossal engineering project. This move was just one piece of a much larger puzzle. The company indicates that in the previous weeks more than 140 large loads were delivered to Marica from the port of Port Kembla, south of Sydney. The tunnel boring machines do not arrive assembled, as they are transported in sections (head, drive system, shields, support platforms) and are assembled on site. In fact, last October, the transport of Monica’s motor system (a component about 207 tons and eight meters wide) brought more than 1,500 people to Cooma, in what Snowy Hydro called one of the largest loads ever transported by road in New South Wales. What is all this for? Snowy 2.0 is, in essence, a gigantic water battery. The project will connect the Tantangara and Talbingo reservoirs through some 27 kilometers of tunnels and an underground power station. The idea is to generate electricity by turbineing water when demand is high and, in times of surplus solar and wind energy, pump it back uphill for reuse. The company assures that it will have a capacity of 2,200 megawatts and enough stored energy to supply about three million homes for a week. Start-up. Last February, Snowy Hydro announced that Monica had been commissioned and would be responsible for excavating the section of the tunnel that crosses the Long Plain fault zone, a geologically complicated area. Designed by the German firm Herrenknecht, the machine advances at one end of the tunnel while another tunnel boring machine, Florence, does so at the opposite. The idea is that both are underground before being dismantled. For those dates the project exceeded 70% execution. Snowy 2.0 has not been without controversy with news of cost overruns and delays, and completion is now scheduled for December 2028. Images | Snowy Hydro In Xataka | Canada is going to debut the residential skyscraper with the most floors in all of North America: it has 12 sides and 351 meters high

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.